Automatic power transmission



. 1939- w. A. DUFFIELD 2,144,256

AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION Filed'Sept. 10. 1936 2'Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENZOR W U H A. Durn ATTG RNE z Jan. 17, 1939. Lp 2,144,256

AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION Filed p 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll llll l l V 4 ILL! milv Durnnu rasta Jan. 11, lose UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC POWIB BION V WllliamLDuMllontreaLQleMGanada,

corporation Limited, Hunt- I s Claims. (cl. ll-189.5)

- 5 The object, of the invention is to provide an improved assembly occupying the minimum space and. simple mechanism whereby the changes of speed are obtained without the shifting of-gears. V

10 A further object is to provide atransmisslon including a Fottinger fluid coupling in which there is a continuous feed of fluid-to the coupling and a pressure relief valve to secure a limited fluid pressure in the coupling so fed.

15 A further object is to provide a force feed lubrication throughout the mechanism, by means of an improved form of pump mechanism whereby the fluid from the pump is free from contained'air and is filtered. I 20 A further object is to provide such a transmission with a positive reverse drive and planetary reduction gear in whichthe carrier is connected to the tail shaft and rotates this shaft in both forward and reversedrive. 5 Other objects will be disclosed in the specification following.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which: i

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal; section 3 through the axis of the shafts on the line 1-4 of Figure'2. 1

Figure 2 is an end view of the planetary gears. Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on the line. 3-3 of Fi u e 1. v Figure 4 is a top view of the pump.

- Referring to Figure 1 the device comprises a shaft l driven from a motor through a clutch, which are not shown. The shaft lis journalled in the bearing II in the sleeve. "of the casing 'l. 0 The shaft I has a pinion l beyond which its 'end II is journalled in the sl ve I. of the tail shaft 2. The'shaft 2 is journalled in bearings 12 in the casing I. v

I The sleeve III of the tail shaft has a flange 2] 45 secured to the planetary gear carrier I.

The pinion it on the shaft l meshes with the gear 48 journalled on the pin ii in the carrier 4. The gear lll meshes with a gear 8 iournalled on the pin ill in the carrier l. The gear I which is 50 a wide gear, one half of which meshes with the internal gear ill of the annulus 6, the other half meshes with a pinion 5| which is keyed to to sleeve 52 journalled on'the shalt I. a

V The annulus 6 is controlled by a brake band Ii. 55 T e fluid r s 3 has ts runner 3 k yedto the sleeve I. while its driver ll is iournalled on the bearing 31 and is connected to the carrier 4 by the bowl 3!. g

The sleeve 52 has a flange and ring 53 which bears on an overnmning clutch 54 which'is car- 5 ried by a' drum 5.

The drum I! is journalled on the'sleeve 10 secured to the casing I and is controlled by brake band it.

A- pump lin the base of the casing I has'a 10 vertical shaft Iii with a gear II which meshes with a gear '82 on a sleeve 63 of the annulus 6. The pump has a screened inlet 83 from the bottom of the casing I, the gears 82 force the oil through the outlet 88, and feeds through a pipe ill to an inlet II into a chamber "in the casin I surrounding the shaft l.-

The shaft i has a passage II from the chamber ll ta. inlets 38 in the sleeve 52 leading into the fluid coupling 3, and an extension IS with outlets in the shaft.

The driver ill of the coupling} has a spring controlled ball valve outlet SI which opens into the casing I.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the shaft I is rotated, its pinion lli rotates the gear 4|! on the carrier 4. This gear 40 rotates the gear 5 on the carrier 4. For forward drive the brake band 66 holds the drum 55 and overrunning clutch ll. This-clutch holds the ring II and sleeve 52 from reverse rotation. But as the gear 5 would rotate the pinion SI of the sleeve 52 in reverse rotation as. the sleeve 52 is held from. such rotation, the gear 5 travels around the pinion El and carries the carrier I and the tail shaft 2 in reduced or low speed forward rotation.

As the carrier I picks up speed. the driver 30 gradually couples with the runner 3i, and the ring I! of thesleeve 52 is made to overrun the 40 clutch 5! until the entire mechanism is rotating at the drive speed of the shaft i when the mom-.- bers of the fluid clutch are coupled.

7 When the brakes are applied to the wheels, or an increased load is put on the tailshaft to slow it down, the driver 30 also slows down and the fluid coupling 3 slips. The direct drive then changes and again becomesJa drive through the reduction gears. These changes up to direct drive and back to reduction drive take placegradually and smoothly and without any sudden strain on any of the parts of the mechanism.

The reverse drive is produced by releasing the brake band 56 and allowing the drum and clutch" to run free. The brake band II is 55 tightened to hold the annulus G from rotation. The gear I must now travel on the internal gear '0 of the annulus 6 in reverse rotation and by this means the carrier! and the tail shaft 2 are driven in reverse at low speed.

The pump 8 receives oil from the bottom of the casing 'I through a screen 83 and feeds it" through the pipe 84 into the chamber 14. From ,this chamber it passes through the passage ll 10 'inthe shaft I through the apertures It in the sleeve 52 into the fluid coupling 3. While the forward drive continues the pump 8 keeps the fluid coupling fllled with oil. If the feed is too rapid or the pressure of expansion due to heat reaches a predetermined pressure, the oil opens the valve fl and passes back into the casing 1. Oil is also fed through an extension I! of'the passage ll with suitable outlets in the shaft I, to lubricate the planetary gearing and the tail shaft. What I claim is: r

1. In an automatic power transmission, a fluid coupling of the Fottinger type, having driver and runner members, means to transmit power. through a train of planetary reduction gears on a carrier secured to a tail shaft, the driver member of .the coupling directly connected to the tail shaft by the carrier and means operated by the other member to cut out the reduction gear.

2. In an automatic power transmission, a fluid so coupling of the Fottingeritype, having driver and runner members, a power driven shaft having a pinion, a tail shaft journalled axially with the drive shaft, a carrier secured to the tail shaft, an annulus iournalled on the tail shaft, intermeshing gears journalled on the carrier, the flrst of which meshes with the pinion ofthe drive shaft, the se'condof which meshes with the annulus, means to hold the annulus from rotation, the driver member of the fluid coupling connected to the carrier, the runner member keyed to a sleeve Journalled on the drive shaft, having a pinion meshing with the second-planetary gear, and an over running clutch operated by a brake band controlling the said sleeve.

5 3. In a power transmission, including a drive shaft having a pinion, a tail shaft secured to a carrier having planetary gears meshing with the pinion, said carrier secured to the driver of a fluid coupling of the Fottinger type having driver 0 and runner members, the runner having a pinion meshing with the planetary gears, and an enclosing casing, means to pump oil from the casing into the fluid coupling and a pressure relief valve in-thefluid coupling adapted to limit the oil- 55 pressure in thefluid coupling.

4. In an automatic power transmission, 9. cas- 8, a fluid couplingwof the Fottinger type having driver and runner members, a power driven shaft having a pinion, a tail shaft Journalled axially with the power driven shaft, a planetary gear carrier secured to the tail shaft, two sets of intermeshing gears journalled on the carrier, a

brake band controlled annulus, a sleeve journailed on the power driveirshaft having a pinion,

a one set of gears meshing with the shaft pinion,

the other set meshing with the annulus and with the sleeve pinion, a band controlled drum journalled on the casing, a ring extension to the sleeve, an over nmning clutch mounted on the 70 drum and engaging the ring, the driver of the fluid coupling secured to the carrier, the runner keyed to the sleeve. 4

,wayclutchtothesleeve.

drive of the on.

1 brake band controlled annulus, a sleeve journalled on the power driven shaft having a pinion,

one set of gears meshing with the shaft pinion, 1Q

the other set meshing with the annulus and with the sleeve pinion, a band controlled drum journalled on the casing, a ring extension to the sleeve, an over rimning clutch. mounted on the drum and enga ing the ring,'the driver of the 15 fluid coupling secured to the carrier, the runner keyed to the sleeve, a pump to feed oil from the casing into the fluid coupling, with a relief valve outlet in one of the members of the fluid coupling.

6. In an automatic power transmission, a cas- 20 ing, .a fluid coupling of the Fottinger type having driver and rimner members, a power driven shaft having a pinion, a tail shaft journalled axially with the power driven shaft, a planetary gear carrier secured tothe tail shaft, two sets of inter- 25 meshing gears Journalled on the carrier, a brake band controlled annulus, a sleeve journalled on the power driven shaft having a pinion, one set of gears meshing with the shaft pinion, the other set meshing with the annulusand with the sleeve 0 pinion,- a band controlled drum iournalled on the casing, a ring extension to the sleeve, an over running clutch mounted on the drum and engaging the ring, the driver of the fluid coupling secured to the carrier, the runner keyed to the sleeve, a pump in the base of the casing having a spindle geared to the drive mechanism, a screened inlet, an outlet to a pipe leading to a chamber surrounding the drive shaft, passages in the. drive shaft from the chamber to outlets 40 into the fluid coupling and into the gearing about the-drive shaft, with a relief valve outlet in one of the fluid coupling members. 'I. In an automatic power transmission, a casing, a drive shaft having a pinion, a tail shaft,

a fluid coupling of the Fottinger type having driver and rimner members, a planetary gear carrier connected to the tail shaft and the driver, two sets of inter-meshing gears iournalled on the carrier, a sleeve journalled' on the drive shaft having a pinion, a band controlled annulus journalled on'the tail shaft, one set of gears meshing with the shaft pinion, the other set meshing with the annulus and the sleeve pinion, and a one- 8. In an automatic power transmission, a casing, a drive shaft having a pinion, a tail shaft, a fluid coupling of the l 'ottinger type having driver and rimner members, a planetary gear carrier connected to the tail shaft and the driver, two sets 'of inte'rmeshing gears iournalled on the carrier, a sleeve iom'nalled on the drive shaft having a pinion, a band controlled annulus journailed on thetail shaft, oneset of gears meshing with the shaft pinion, the other set meshing with the annulus and the sleeve pinion, and a one-way clutch to the sleeve, a fluid pump geared to the annulus adapted to pump oil from the easing into the fluid coupling during the forward WILLIAM A. DUFF'IELD. 

